I happen to know a man a lot like the dad in this movie who is bipolar, whose anger looks a lot like his and even Steve told Jess that being mixed up sometimes doesn't mean he doesn't love her. I always noticed this was a different kind of dad and I wonder if the movie was Jess trying to cope with her dad's condition getting worse because of him being bipolar and Prancer was more of a metaphor.
shareYeah I can see it. Either that or he messed his brain up drinking, because of his financial troubles. Maybe a little bit of both. I like to think Prancer flying with Santa means all the bad things are going away. That somehow he overcomes the illness, and the family can be happy. Unrealistic, but nice for a movie ending.
shareIt's probably just rare that everything ends completely well. He does talk about the future possibly being awful, like losing the farm, so it might just be a good moment for them, or it is a sign the future won't be so bleak.
shareJohn was having a hard time raising his kids and running a farm by himself, he wasn't unbalanced or manic; he was just high-strung.
I didn't see any beer bottles or anything around the house, either. I doubt he drank, especially around his kids and especially since it's a kids movie.
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I agree. He was stressed out trying to raise two kids alone! He'd lost his wife and the only family who helped him was her sister. His farm was struggling... He probably had bills piling up. I don't get any vibes that he has mental illness at all. Anyone would be moody given those circumstances.
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